Image processor, image processing method, and computer program product for storing images and related code information

Abstract

In an MFP, an image on an original is read and the image is stored as a document (input image) in an HDD. A marking-information generation module generates marking information (two-dimensional code information) expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the document and an output parameters of the document. A document-relevance-information management module relates the marking information to the stored image, and an encryption/decryption module encrypts the marking information. A marking generation module generates a marking image from the encrypted marking information, and the marking image is printed out.

1. An image processor comprising:
 a code-information recognizing unit that recognizes code information expressing information of an input image; 
 a storage control unit that stores the input image in a storage device; 
 a code-information generating unit that, in response to a notification that the input image has been stored in the storage device received from the storage control unit, generates two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image, the information relating to the storage of the input image includes at least one of date and time when the input image is stored in the storage device, a storage location in the storage device in which the input image is stored, and a file name of the input image and an output parameters of the input image, the output parameters of the input image includes a printing parameter of the input image; 
 a code encrypting unit that encrypts the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit; 
 a relating unit that relates the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit and the input image stored in the storage device to each other; 
 a printing unit that prints out the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit onto a recording medium; 
 an operating unit that receives input of two-dimensional code use information for using the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit; 
 a processing unit that retrieves the input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized by the code-information recognizing unit from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information input from the operating unit, and performs processing with respect to retrieved input image based on the two-dimensional code information; and 
 a re-encrypting unit that causes the code encrypting unit to encrypt the two-dimensional code information and the operating unit to display the decryption information, when a period has passed since the date and time of generation of the two-dimensional code information by the code-information generating unit. 
 
     
     
       2. The image processor according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the operating unit displays decryption information for decrypting the two-dimensional code information encrypted by the code encrypting unit and receives an input of decryption information, and 
 the processing unit performs retrieval of the input image and processing based on the two-dimensional code information with respect to retrieved input image, when the decryption information received by the operating unit is correct. 
 
     
     
       3. The image processor according to  claim 2 , wherein when the decryption information received by the operating unit is incorrect, the processing unit outputs a message indicating that the decryption information is incorrect as a log. 
     
     
       4. The image processor according to  claim 3 , wherein when number of times that the decryption information received by the operating unit is incorrect exceeds a number of times, the processing unit makes the corresponding two-dimensional code information unavailable. 
     
     
       5. The image processor according to  claim 1 , wherein the storage device includes a storage unit of the image processor or a computer device. 
     
     
       6. An image processing method comprising:
 recognizing, by a processor associated with an image processor, code information expressing information of an input image; 
 storing the input image in a storage device; 
 generating, by the processor, in response to completion of storing of the input image in the storage device at the storing, two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image, the information relating to the storage of the input image includes at least one of date and time when the input image is stored in the storage device, a storage location in the storage device in which the input image is stored, and a file name of the input image and an output parameters of the input image, the output parameters of the input image includes a printing parameter of the input image; 
 encrypting, by the processor, the two-dimensional code information; 
 relating, by the processor, the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating and the input image stored in the storage device to each other; 
 printing out, by the processor, the two-dimensional code information generated at generating onto a recording medium; 
 receiving, by the processor, input of two-dimensional code use information for using the generated two-dimensional code information; 
 retrieving, by the processor, the input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized at the recognizing from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information received at the receiving, and performing processing with respect to an input image retrieved at the retrieving based on the two-dimensional code information; and 
 re-encrypting, by the processor, the two-dimensional code information and displaying the decryption information, when a period has passed since the date and time of generation of the two-dimensional code information at the generating. 
 
     
     
       7. The image processing method according to  claim 6 , further comprising displaying decryption information for decrypting the two-dimensional code information encrypted at the encrypting, wherein
 the receiving includes receives input of decryption information, and 
 the retrieving includes retrieving the input image and performing processing based on the two-dimensional code information with respect to retrieved input image, when the decryption information received at the receiving is correct. 
 
     
     
       8. The image processing method according to  claim 7 , wherein when the decryption information received at the receiving is incorrect, the performing includes outputting a message indicating that the decryption information is incorrect as a log. 
     
     
       9. The image processing method according to  claim 8 , wherein when number of times that the decryption information received at the receiving is incorrect exceeds a number of times, the performing includes making the corresponding two-dimensional code information unavailable. 
     
     
       10. The image processing method according to  claim 6 , wherein the storage device includes a storage unit of an image processor or a computer device. 
     
     
       11. A computer program product that includes computer program codes stored on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which when executed on a computer causes the computer to execute:
 recognizing code information expressing information of an input image; 
 storing the input image in a storage device; 
 generating, in response to completion of storing of the input image in the storage device at the storing, two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image, the information relating to the storage of the input image includes at least one of date and time when the input image is stored in the storage device, a storage location in the storage device in which the input image is stored, and a file name of the input image and an output parameters of the input image, the output parameters of the input image includes a printing parameter of the input image; 
 encrypting the two-dimensional code information; 
 relating the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating and the input image stored in the storage device to each other; 
 printing out the two-dimensional code information generated at generating onto a recording medium; 
 receiving input of two-dimensional code use information for using the generated two-dimensional code information; 
 retrieving the input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized at the recognizing from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information received at the receiving, and performing processing with respect to an input image retrieved at the retrieving based on the two-dimensional code information; and 
 re-encrypting the two-dimensional code information and displaying the decryption information, when a period has passed since the date and time of generation of the two-dimensional code information at the generating. 
 
     
     
       12. An image processor comprising:
 a code-information recognizing unit that recognizes code information expressing information of an input image; 
 a storage control unit that stores the input image in a storage device; 
 a code-information generating unit that, in response to a notification that the input image has been stored in the storage device received from the storage control unit, generates two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image, the information relating to the storage of the input image includes at least one of date and time when the input image is stored in the storage device, a storage location in the storage device in which the input image is stored, and a file name of the input image and an output parameters of the input image, the output parameters of the input image includes a printing parameter of the input image; 
 a code encrypting unit that encrypts the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit; 
 a relating unit that relates the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit and the input image stored in the storage device to each other; 
 a printing unit that prints out the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit onto a recording medium; 
 an operating unit that receives input of two-dimensional code use information for using the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit; 
 a processing unit that retrieves the input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized by the code-information recognizing unit from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information input from the operating unit, and performs processing with respect to retrieved input image based on the two-dimensional code information; and 
 a re-encrypting unit that causes the code encrypting unit to encrypt the two-dimensional code information and the operating unit to display the decryption information, when number of times of use of the two-dimensional code information generated by the code-information generating unit exceeds a number of times. 
 
     
     
       13. The image processor according to  claim 12 , wherein
 the operating unit displays decryption information for decrypting the two-dimensional code information encrypted by the code encrypting unit and receives an input of decryption information, and 
 the processing unit performs retrieval of the input image and processing based on the two-dimensional code information with respect to retrieved input image, when the decryption information received by the operating unit is correct. 
 
     
     
       14. The image processor according to  claim 13 , wherein when the decryption information received by the operating unit is incorrect, the processing unit outputs a message indicating that the decryption information is incorrect as a log. 
     
     
       15. The image processor according to  claim 14 , wherein when number of times that the decryption information received by the operating unit is incorrect exceeds a number of times, the processing unit makes the corresponding two-dimensional code information unavailable. 
     
     
       16. The image processor according to  claim 12 , wherein the storage device includes a storage unit of the image processor or a computer device. 
     
     
       17. An image processing method comprising:
 recognizing, by a processor associated with an image processor, code information expressing information of an input image; 
 storing the input image in a storage device; 
 generating, by the processor, in response to completion of storing of the input image in the storage device at the storing, two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image, the information relating to the storage of the input image includes at least one of date and time when the input image is stored in the storage device, a storage location in the storage device in which the input image is stored, and a file name of the input image and an output parameters of the input image, the output parameters of the input image includes a printing parameter of the input image; 
 encrypting, by the processor, the two-dimensional code information; 
 relating, by the processor, the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating and the input image stored in the storage device to each other; 
 printing out, by the processor, the two-dimensional code information generated at generating onto a recording medium; 
 receiving, by the processor, input of two-dimensional code use information for using the generated two-dimensional code information; 
 retrieving, by the processor, the input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized at the recognizing from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information received at the receiving, and performing processing with respect to an input image retrieved at the retrieving based on the two-dimensional code information; and 
 re-encrypting, by the processor, the two-dimensional code information and displaying the decryption information, when number of times of use of the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating exceeds a number of times. 
 
     
     
       18. The image processing method according to  claim 17 , further comprising displaying decryption information for decrypting the two-dimensional code information encrypted at the encrypting, wherein
 the receiving includes receives input of decryption information, and 
 the retrieving includes retrieving the input image and performing processing based on the two-dimensional code information with respect to retrieved input image, when the decryption information received at the receiving is correct. 
 
     
     
       19. The image processing method according to  claim 18 , wherein when the decryption information received at the receiving is incorrect, the performing includes outputting a message indicating that the decryption information is incorrect as a log. 
     
     
       20. The image processing method according to  claim 19 , wherein when number of times that the decryption information received at the receiving is incorrect exceeds a number of times, the performing includes making the corresponding two-dimensional code information unavailable. 
     
     
       21. The image processing method according to  claim 17 , wherein the storage device includes a storage unit of an image processor or a computer device. 
     
     
       22. A computer program product that includes computer program codes stored on a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium which when executed on a computer causes the computer to execute:
 recognizing code information expressing information of an input image; 
 storing the input image in a storage device; 
 generating, in response to completion of storing of the input image in the storage device at the storing, two-dimensional code information expressing at least one of information relating to storage of the input image, the information relating to the storage of the input image includes at least one of date and time when the input image is stored in the storage device, a storage location in the storage device in which the input image is stored, and a file name of the input image and an output parameters of the input image, the output parameters of the input image includes a printing parameter of the input image; 
 encrypting the two-dimensional code information; 
 relating the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating and the input image stored in the storage device to each other; 
 printing out the two-dimensional code information generated at generating onto a recording medium; 
 receiving input of two-dimensional code use information for using the generated two-dimensional code information; 
 retrieving the input image related to the two-dimensional code information recognized at the recognizing from the storage device, when corresponding two-dimensional code information becomes available by the two-dimensional code use information received at the receiving, and performing processing with respect to an input image retrieved at the retrieving based on the two-dimensional code information; and 
 re-encrypting the two-dimensional code information and displaying the decryption information, when number of times of use of the two-dimensional code information generated at the generating exceeds a number of times.